American Slave Narratives is an Anthology of slave biographies and stories contained in over 50 historical texts. This Anthology also includes a collection of teaching guides that are aligned with Common Core State Standards for use in classrooms. These often disturbing memoirs by former slaves are important records of our nation’s past. With candid and often stark reminiscences, as told by former slaves in their own words, the narratives provide us with a vivid picture of exactly what life was like for a slave in the antebellum era. Collectively, they serve as portraits of history. They are a tribute to the thousands of African Americans who endured the most unspeakable of human hardships—slavery.